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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Need your advice please :(

272 replies

Wibhay · 10/11/2015 13:17

Hi there I'll try keep it short but I really need your advice.
I'm 33 and my partner is 40 with 2 kids a girl 15 and a boy 9. We have been looking at houses and found one that is near his children but is a quite away from my parents (80 mile). I want to have children of my own and sooner rather than later. the house we have found is a 3 bed. My partners children stay with him once every 2 weeks on a Friday and Saturday night although his daughter hasn't been since June.When discussing the bedrooms my partner said one was for his boy and the other his daughter. I said well what about when we have a baby to which he replied well they will share with either his son or daughter depending on the sex of the baby which is fine but he said half the room would be decorated for his son/daughter and the other half a nursery. Am I wrong in thinking this is a bit unfair on our baby who would be living their full time? Also my parents would be coming down to stay every other weekend so why couldn't the 2 bedrooms be neutrally decorate so that anyone coming to stay could use them and feel well. He also said he was compromising by having a baby with me? That's a bit of a harsh thing to say I feel. Sorry just feeling really said and need some help xx

OP posts:
BitOutOfPractice · 10/11/2015 14:31

Oh OP, the bedrooms issue is a total red herring (the illegal thing is bollocks I think)

It doesn't sound like he wants to have kids with you does it?

ImperialBlether · 10/11/2015 14:35

Please don't take what we've said as a reflection on you, OP. He is a user. He wants someone who will provide for him but will allow him to make all the decisions and to live as though all the money is his. So his children have all the bedrooms, his son names the dog you want, the potential baby is a compromise - what he's saying is that the new baby is the price he has to pay for all of the rest.

He's not a nice guy. You sound lovely. Keep your money, keep your flat, stay near to your parents and look for someone else, someone who is an equal and who is kind to you.

goddessofsmallthings · 10/11/2015 14:36

I'm starting to feel he wants this house for him and his kids and I am just a source of money for that

It certainly looks that way. Why do you have to move so far away from your dps and how will this affect your commute to work - and his?

How has he managed to accomodate his dc overnight in his 1 bed flat?

There are so many alarm bells going off it's hard to think straight because of the cacophony and it seems to me you're engaging in muddled thinking because of your worry that you "won't find anyone else". Why do you feel like this? At only 33 you have more than a few years to go before your biological clock starts ticking down.

Epilepsyhelp · 10/11/2015 14:40

He is completely using you and putting you and your needs very much second. Nothing at all wrong with him wanting rooms for his kids but not when you're funding it pretty much on your own and you're not allowed a say at all.

Please find someone nice to have children with, not this loser.

theredjellybean · 10/11/2015 14:45

i can see that maybe your partner does not want anymore children , after all he has 'done' that already and his are older and clearly independent. Going back to babies and toddlers may not be appealing to him. However he got into a relationship with you and I presume you knew you always wanted children. He could have handled this much better, he may feel he is compromising on his life plans to go back to start a new family , however he must see that you are a 'team' and being in a relationship means compromises. If he loves you he would see that having a child is important to you .
The idea of a baby sharing with a teenager is ridiculous, crying babies at night would disturb his children surely????
If he has a one bedroom flat now, surely his children do not have their own rooms now at 'dad's' so it shouldnt be such a big deal to him.
Do not over estimate how much you might want or need your parents if you have a baby.

more conversation and more compromises need to be made before you think about buying.

it isnt about his children having their own rooms and your baby not...its about how you both view the future together ....either as a family where all family members needs/views/plans/dreams are considered equally important or you might find that as much as you love him and he loves you, you cannot have /make a life together.

good luck OP

Wibhay · 10/11/2015 14:54

You guys have helped me so much it's unreal I wish I had come on here earlier. I love my family so much and want to bring a baby up around them not 80 miles away in a house I'm putting a massive chunk of money into but doesn't feel like my own. Decorated how he wants and for his children. It should be FAIR and a joint decision. I can see the road ahead of me is going to be hard but I am a nice person and hopefully will meet myself a man who wants the same as me not just my bank balance x

OP posts:
BitOutOfPractice · 10/11/2015 14:56

I do hope so wibhay. You do sound lovely Thanks

Costacoffeeplease · 10/11/2015 14:58

Good luck op, it might be hard initially, but long term it's got to be easier than forever dancing to his tune - hope everything works out well for you

ImperialBlether · 10/11/2015 15:11

I bet when you tell your mum and dad, they'll be really relieved and you'll learn what they actually thought of him.

DearFox · 10/11/2015 15:14

If you can afford a four bed house, that'd be better but really, his children aren't going anywhere if he's a good man and father (and you want that right?) so maybe he's not right for you?

The 15 year old could be at college in a few years. I wouldn't imagine a life where your (say) 3 year old and his 19 year old are going to be growing up in the same house.

DearFox · 10/11/2015 15:15

oh apologies for posting before I realised thread had moved on Blush

Wine

33 is still so young. x

Wibhay · 10/11/2015 15:17

Dear god please don't apologise I want to hear everyone's views it is helping me because I still feel I'm in the wrong and the cause of the relationship to break down

OP posts:
Wibhay · 10/11/2015 15:18

Meant dearfox not dear god ha ha

OP posts:
DearFox · 10/11/2015 15:20

Oh boy. He's obviously happy to move from a one bed flat to a three bed house near his children, and to only have to put 20k in to it!!!
of course that suits him.
It's like the baby is a bone he's throwing you.

hellsbellsmelons · 10/11/2015 15:23

Relationships breakdown all the time.
Don't put this kind of stress on yourself.
It's not going to work for you.
It's a simple as that (yeah yeah I know it's not really)
I'm glad you aren't moving away from your parents.
Get to them and get some support.
You will meet a nice man. Take your time, he's out there.

DearFox · 10/11/2015 15:24

No you're not wrong!! Sometimes I think step mothers to be are a bit naive about the 'status' of the original children if you see what I mean, but this is not the case here. You've been around for four years and he sounds like he's happy to take, happy for you to give, happy for you to move 80 miles from where you'd like to be!! All to suit him! I bet if you asked his kids they'd shrug. He presents it as being a really good dad I bet. But the 15 year old won't want to spend too much time with her dad in the future, not really. My dd, if her dad and his new gf had a baby, my dd could put a sleeping bag on a zed bed in the nursery. She'd think nothing of it.

DearFox · 10/11/2015 15:28

Yes, you will meet a man.

I've been doing a bit of internet dating and there are so many men of about 40 (and you're happy to date men that age) who want to have children.

Give yourself time to recover and then write a really fabulous profile and be really honest about what you want because there's no shame in it. Women are allowed to have a life plan too! We're dissuaded from putting our own needs first but you can have your own agenda!

You can decide not to date anybody who isn't at least open to the possibility of marriage and a family. That's your prerogative. Believe me, I've got chatting to loads of men on line (ones I haven't met up with because we're looking for different things) but a lot of men your current bf's age would LOVE to meet you.

Handywoman · 10/11/2015 15:29

This man's plans are showing you very clearly where you are on the priority list - pretty low down (probably beneath the dogs). And a future baby? Even further down still. This new house is not a shared dream: it's his dream with you providing the £££

Sharing a mortgage and a child will tie you both forever. You will be miserable. Utterly miserable. And it doesn't sound like he loves you, I'm sorry. But it's so much better to realise now before this big step.

Please find someone else.

DearFox · 10/11/2015 15:33

Yes, some guy out there will be able to do everything with you for the first time at the same time and he'll be able to match your 80k!

Wibhay · 10/11/2015 15:35

Awe I hope you guys are right xxxxxx

OP posts:
mix56 · 10/11/2015 15:41

Please don't have a child with this man. EVER

Twitterqueen · 10/11/2015 15:42

Wibhay as everyone else has said, please do not move in with this man. You are financing his lifestyle, not yours. The bedrooms are not his to decide upon, nor the dogs' names and the fact that he's only paying 1/5 to your 4/5 of the house is a mega red flag too.

You are still young at 33. Really. I didn't have my 1st child until I was 35 and I met and married my ex at 34.

Find someone who truly wants to build a joint life, together.

theredjellybean · 10/11/2015 15:43

op....have you really really really discussed it with him ? and i mean honestly calmly stated what you feel and want ?

I know the consensus is the relationship wont work, but have you told him what you have told us ? Maybe he is not as clear about what you want...? if you have ummed and ahhed and avoided stating things maybe he genuinely thinks you are on board with the plans.

Before you end it, do maybe have a clear, unemotional talk with him. Give him a chance , he may be struggling with the idea of another baby, or how his kids are going to feel about a step sibling,maybe he is trying to make it 'ok' by offering them this home which as someone else pointed out they might not care that much about. He may have some guilt to deal with over the fact he so far has not been able to give them a home.

It is interesting his dd has not been to stay for months....he may be finding that very hard to deal with.

How did you agree to move so far away in the first place ? did you or do you find yourself 'steam rollered' by him ? in which case maybe try using a councellor to help facilitate a discussion and possibly this needs to include his children too. They might have different views to their dad's.

If he isnt right for you and what you want just doesnt fit with what he wants then so be it , but you have been together for 4 yrs it is worth a try to sort out.

I would keep it neutral and avoid the feelings about 'your' baby not being as important as 'his' children and try to focus any discussion on what is best for 'your blended family'.

Firstly I would say you need to thrash out the baby issue ....how does he really feel about this ? ok he might not be as excited as you, he has done it before after all, but if he really honestly does not want another child with you or anyone he needs to speak up....and now is the time....if you have a baby is he going to want to parent it ? or is he going along with it but has no intention of it affecting him and his life ?

Presuming he does want a baby...then next i would say that the whole family then need to consider a house 'suitable' for all of you...and that means compromises on both sides...so half way between your family and his kids....a bigger house in not such a great location....or maybe a house needing work which will have to wait so you can buy a bigger house.

I actually think his kids maybe do need their own rooms ...this is their family home with their dad after all, and its hard if they feel like 'guests'.

when my DP and I bought a home together we had 4 girls and we sat them down and talked about bedrooms and though the little ones ( 11 yrs old both) wanted to share we found a house with rooms for all, as we wanted everyone to have their own space...over the years it has paid off...and sometimes they all pile in together and sometimes they all skulk in their own rooms, but everyone knows its their home.

Itisbetternow · 10/11/2015 15:45

You will be fine. You will meet a guy that having a baby with will be a first. He will be excited about it not controlling.

At anytime your partners kids could come and live full time with you or he could agree 50:50 or in worst case scenario the mother could die. That is the life as a step parent. I certainly would never put in an unequal financial amount with any man nowadays. Especially one with children that may need housing and then in the long run have rights.

mix56 · 10/11/2015 15:46

Sorry, I skipped to the end, & just saw that you were majorly financing this possible home, that you are not allowed to have a room in for your baby
Like........
Tell him to FOTTFSOFAFH

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